How to ReplayGain mp3 with Foobar2000

[Dunno]

There are two versions of foobar which need to be mentioned, v.0.8 and v.0.9, with version v.0.8 you can choose which code set you want written to your tags, ISO 8859, UTF 8, UTF 16, with foobar v.0.9 there is no selection of code set it will only write UTF16 to your tags and currently there isn't a setting anywhere to change this.

If you have used earlier versions of foobar or tag applications which have written to your tags in ISO-8859, and now use foobar v.9 it means that you will have a mix of UTF16 and ISO 8859 code in your tags, this isn't an issue as long as your applications are happy with this. Rockbox developers confirmed that rockbox can read mixed ISO 8859 and UTF 16 within tags ID3v2 and V1 only.

To maintain consistent tags I always use foobar v0.8 to apply RG to my music, that way I am certain that my tags are ISO-8859, and certain that rockbox will read them, no doubts. I like consistent tags.

Also ensure with foobar v.9 that you write to the correct tags for Rockbox, it must be to ID3 v2 or V1 (V2 is the preferred tag anytime). Rockbox doesn't recognise ape tags.


This how to is for v0.8.3,
(do a FULL install of the program, otherwise you might have to install ID3 V2 reader as a component)
(see footnote for downloads).

go to:
Preferences:
Components> ID3v2 Tag Support
Check (tick) the, "write ISO-8859-1 tags instead of UTF-16".

Playback:> Input > Standard Inputs
Set "Tag Type to Write" to: ID3v2 and ID3v1. (VERY IMPORTANT)

Database:> ensure that "Block tag update operations" is NOT ticked, (not enabled).

To avoid scanning identically named albums as the same album (eg. "The Best Of..." type albums), go to Preferences -> Components ->Replaygain scanner and replace the default %album% pattern with, $directory(%_path%)


NOTE: It is a Good idea to test the folowing procedure on a few albums before attempting to add Raplygain data to your entire collection.

Excuting ReplayGain:
1). Open an album or multiple albums in foobar2000.
2). Highlight all of the albums that you want to ReplayGain, (or highlight a playlist and right click).
3). Right-click anywhere on the foobar2000 playlist and select the Replaygain menu.
a. If you are scanning a single album select "Scan selection as album".
b. If you are scanning multiple albums, select "Scan selection as multiple albums".
c. RaplayGain can also be added to single files, to do so select "Scan per file track"

NOTE: It can take a while to Replaygain an entire collection of music, it can take anywhere from a few hours to a few days, depending on the size of your collection and processor speed.

If you want to remove ReplayGain data from your files, right-click anywhere on the foobar2000 playlist, select the ReplayGain menu and click "Remove replaygain info from files".

If you haven't set (ticked) the, "write ISO-8859-1 tags instead of UTF-16" Foobar will write unicode to your ID3v2 tags which some tag programs cant read, you then need to set your Tagging progam to read your ID3v1 tag, the info should still be there, but thats if you had a ID3v1 tag to start with. or...
you just get a Tagging program which can read unicode tags, they are out there, problem solved, no panic.


For Foobar v.0.8.3 without preset columns and windows go > HERE <

For the latest version and an in depth description/installation of Foobar go > HERE <

For feature/settings explanation of foobar go > HERE <

yet another site with setup graphics > HERE <

For a description of what Replaygain is go > HERE <

[simonk]

Originally Posted by Dunno

How to setup Foobar for Replaygaining of mp3 files.
go to:
Preferences:
Components> ID3v2 Tag Support
Check (tick) the, "write ISO-8859-1 tags instead of UTF-16".

Playback:> Input > Standard Inputs
Set "Tag Type to Write" to: ID3v2 and ID3v1. (VERY IMPORTANT)

Database:> ensure that "Block tag update operations" is NOT checked (ticked).

Hmm. I actually ran my collection through Foobar for the first time last night, and I didn't check any of those options :\ I haven't listened to any of my music yet to see if it worked. Am I going to have to do it all again with those settings changed? I noticed that the bugger removed ALL my tags when I ran it through Foobar, which took me bloody ages to fix up. Is that what the last setting you mentioned is for (Database:> ensure that "Block tag update operations" is NOT checked (ticked)). I can't bring myself to do it again if I'm going to lose all my tags again.

[belgarath_the_sorceror]

I think you should always make a backup of files before attempting this incase you forget to do something dunno posted. Luckily I did, so when foobar deleted my tags I could simply replace the files with my backups.

[simonk]

So Foobar will always delete your tags? Suppose it doesn't really matter from now on as I'll be running new music through it before its tagged anyway.

Listening to my music now and its all at the same level, which kicks ass

[Dunno]

If you haven't set, Check (tick) the, "write ISO-8859-1 tags instead of UTF-16" Foobar will write unicode to your ID3v2 tags which some tag programs cant read, you need to then set your Tagging progam to read your ID3v1 tag, the info should still be there, but thats if you had a ID3v1 tag to start with. or...
you just get a Tagging program which can read unicode tags, they are out there, problem solved

to check whether foobar has written Replay info to the tags right-click on a track and select "ReplayGain advanced", you should see values there, if so you're good to go.

Edit: most tagging programs have features which allows copying of ID3v1 data to ID3v2 and vice versa.

[simonk]

Fair enough, thanks for that. I use Tagscanner mostly.

[belgarath_the_sorceror]

Can rockbox read unicode tags? I thought that they didn't support unicode yet?

[Dunno]

Rockbox can read ID3v2 Unicode info (confirmed by the developers), so its no problem to let Foobar2000 write unicode to ID3v2 tag, for Rockbox at least, (other gizmos might not be able to read unicode). Id3v1 cannot support unicode.

Its the Tagging programs/applications which need to catch up and implement unicode support. Tag info appears to be "eaten" by foobar but its just a case of the tagging program not being able to read unicode.

[belgarath_the_sorceror]

Its the Tagging programs/applications which need to catch up and implement unicode support. Tag info appears to be "eaten" by foobar but its just a case of the tagging program not being able to read unicode.

I wish I had known that before I deleted all my files.... Still, my backups have almost finished being replaygained again, for the 3rd time...

[Jonny]

What settings need to be changed if Vorbis files need to be replaygained instead of mp3s?

[Dunno]

The procedure for ogg and mp3 in foobar is the same,(I dont use ogg only mp3), but you could also use vorbisgain, my google search for vorbisgain returned THIS

[smafty]

Thanks for this guide, Dunno, but I'm a little lost here since I haven't used Foobar all that much. I've done exactly as your first post suggests, but my tags (both ID3v1 and ID3v2) get "erased". Any idea why this is happening?

[smafty]

Ok, I solved my own problem. I had originally scanned all of my songs with mp3gain, and it adds blank ape tags to all of the files for some reason. Foobar copied the blank data from the ape tags to the ID3 tags. Totally lame.

Thanks again for the guide. It works perfect now that I know what I'm doing with Foobar.

[DreamTactix291]

Originally Posted by Jonny

What settings need to be changed if Vorbis files need to be replaygained instead of mp3s?

Nothing. Vorbis ReplayGain is written to Vorbis comments.

Also if all of your programs read UTF-16 tags there's no point in going to ISO-8859-1. Doesn't hurt but I have a whole collection of UTF-16'ed LAME --preset standard mp3s.

[danielo]

I also started to apply reglaygain on my whole collection...
But some tags would disapear and somme would stay...
That was really strange, then I noticed all the files which's tags had disapeared were files that I modified last year with MP3gain...

So the solution is to go In MP3Gain, select all your songs and remove all tags from files... It fact it will only remove the ape tags (or something like that) where MP3gain options are stored, but it WILL NOT REMOVE ID3 tags!

so by doing it this way (for those who have used MP3Gain before) it won't remove your song's data.

*The danger is to use foobar replaygain if you already scaned your files with MP3Gain.*

[powercut]

Is there a plugin for Winamp that supports ReplayGain?

[DreamTactix291]

Plugin to tag, no.

Plugin to playback mp3 with replaygain, yes.

http://www3.cypress.ne.jp/otachan/in_mpg123_118ot84.7z

Vorbis replaygain with Winamp was always possible with the default in_vorbis plugin.

[powercut]

Originally Posted by DreamTactix291

Plugin to tag, no.

Plugin to playback mp3 with replaygain, yes.

http://www3.cypress.ne.jp/otachan/in_mpg123_118ot84.7z

Vorbis replaygain with Winamp was always possible with the default in_vorbis plugin.

Thats what I'm looking for but what do I do with this .7z file? I've put it in the plugins directory but nothing seems to be recognised by Winamp. Most plugins are .dll files so I'm a bit confused.

edit: ok, i've figure 7z is some random file compression method and managed to istall the .dll (i used 'Normal' rather than SSE or SSE2 whatever that means). It doesnt seam to be making any difference to the volume of tracks and I'm not sure what to do with the other settings in the other tabs other than the Replay gain one as the documentation is rubbish

[smafty]

That's a compressed file. You need 7Zip or WinRar to open it.

[DreamTactix291]

You have to do two things to get it to work.

1) Delete or rename in_mp3.dll

2) Turn on ReplayGain in in_mpg123.dll's options.

[powercut]

Originally Posted by DreamTactix291

You have to do two things to get it to work.

1) Delete or rename in_mp3.dll

2) Turn on ReplayGain in in_mpg123.dll's options.

Cheers it seems to be working now

[MentholMoose]

Hi,

Can i generate replaygain tag with Winamp or only playback?